Fabric



April 11, 1944. F. 1 FORD 2,346,159

FABRIC Filed July 14, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l I6, muy

MAQ/y April l1,

1944. F. J. FORD FABRIC Filed July 14, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L m /7 2/0` /57 n Z2 "/6 /6 ,z3

/8 l 2 Z5 /8 Z/ L 2] 20x /8 y 2f /8 Z/ 25 L fin/en rm Patented Apr. 11, 1944 UNITED S'LTES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates .to knit fabrics and-its principal object is to provide a knit fabric which is absolutely run proof; and in which any cut or broken thread will not ravel, and if .pulled will merely tighten up adjacent loops .to practically form a knot.

Other objects include the provision of a knit fabric which has a knit .characteristic aspect on one side and a woven characteristic aspect Jon the other; and the provision of a -knit fabric in which the back or rear face has the well--known knit stitchsappearanceand thelfront face imitates woven fabric.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a non-stretchable, non-raveling knit fabric of the usual knit fabric pliancy which may be used for purposes where it is desired to have a good t and to avoid sag -in the material as-in clothing and particularly in outergarrnents. Also, it is an object to provide a-pliant and non-stretching knit fabric having woolen or the like weft threads which appear on one face only of the fabric and which conceal the knit stitches and loops to give the appearance of a woven fabric, and in which the warp threadsholding the weft threads may be leither in--a zig-zag `format-ion of any determined Inumber of steps or -a straight chain for plain knit or plaid effects.

Other -objectsincludethe provision of a knit mesh which'may be used Vper se for ybagging or like structures and 4whichmay be varied tov include woolen weft threads to produce a very tight blanket or garment'fabric.

Other objects and advantages ofthe invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to 2be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 shows in diagrammatic -form a `face -or front side of a fabric knit according to one-form of the invention, the loops lbeing-extremely:loose for purposes of illustration;

Fig. 2 shows the fabric oflig. l as it appears .to the eye;

Fig. 3 illustrates another form of the invention in va manner similar-tothat of Eig. 1;

Fig. l shows a v`fabric like thatof Fig. .lwith Woolen orthe like weft threads;

Fig. 5 shows a fabriclike thatofrl'lig. 3 .with Woolen or the like weft threads; yand IFig. 6 illustrates y a .corduroy effect obtained Aby knitting .the fabric of extrernely tightly.

Referring to Fig. l. .there ishereshown.azplurality of warp threads .l which aredrawndnontinuous double line; anda plurality-.of transverse or weft threads 2,3alternately stippled and corded for. clarity. in. illustration, .threads'Z being stip- .pled Iand threads 3 beingcorded.

Each .Warp .thread l issimilarto all .the other warps, andis inthe form of an alternate offset loop arrangement. ,Startingat .the top of the iigure, thread I runs Jdown Aat .an angle to the left, reverses to vthe left, `forming a .Warp loop 4 and crosses infront .of itself toform an vopen .bottom warp :looportransverse run 5. The loop I5 extendsto the right forming .loopand thev .thread crosses over to form a secondopenbottom 4warp loop or transverse run vvl. `loops ..4 and S .are closed andthe latter is somewhat below the forrner and laterally `Oiset therefrom. `This construction repeats throughout the length ofthe fabric, .and special attention is directedto open loops -Sjandl which have approximately one-half thereof, .at their right and left ends respectively, more or less unimpededorfree vand alternately passing .downwards to right and to left .forming ya zig-zag at every course throughout Athe fabric or any desired number kof diagonal sequences in either direction each alternate pair vof loops-5 and] `opening to the left for ,one or `more series, and the others therebetween opening `to the right in one or more series.

Loop 4 includes thecrossed thread forming loop 6 of the next adjacent warp to the left of any course, and ,loop 6 includes `the crossed thread forming -loop ,4 of the next adjacent warp .to the right of any course. `This construction will be apparent from an inspection of the double line Warp threads, and in and yof itself provides a complete fabric. Y

Weft thread 2 cornes infrom the right and passes over the right hand run of a warp loop ,.4 tothe right in Eig, V1, then goes down thru the latter to loop lthe crossed warp thread forming the next loop-fl in the same Warp, followingthe path of .loop of fthe neXtWalptO Jthe left. This weft 2 comes backup thru the original'loop :.4 and is looped thereby, crossing over its left hand runin front to pass-tothe next loopll in the lnext warp. This provides weft loops ,8 similar :to loops yi5 which are looped ,by loops `4 and in'turn loop next loop ofthe same warp. The crossing of the weft 2 from` the left ,handrun .of va loop 4 to the right hand run of the next `adjacent loop 4 jforinssan .open bottom weftloop .9.whichis somewhat to therear of loops 1.5.and 'lbeinglmidway between them and vunder or behind .the crossed thread 1formingloopsll. Loops or runs 5, '1, and.9..form triangles, loop .9 bisecting the angleibetween .loo.ps.5 ,and -1 .whichopen to Ithe left.

Corded weft 3 is somewhat similar to weft 2 coming in from the right over the right hand runs of loops 6 and 8 but under the very left hand end of loop 1, i. e., in reality under the crossed thread forming a loop 4. Weft 3 then goes down thru combined loops 6 and 8, following a loop 4 to loop the next downward loops 6 and 8 approximately at the crossed threads forming the loop 6. Weft 3 then returns upwards forming a loop I and being looped by the original loops 6 and 8, and crosses over in front of the left hand runs of loops 6 and 8 to repeat, forming open loop or run II bisecting the angle of loops 1 and opening to the right,

It is very important to note that the above described construction will force loops or runs 5, 1, 9, and Il to the side of the fabric which in this case is the front, that is, the side seen in Fig. 1, when the fabric is closed up tightly, giving the effect of a woven fabric as shown in Fig. 2. The opposite or rear face of the fabric has the ordinary chain rib knit appearance, although with doubled loops, this being in consequence of loops 6, 8, and 4, I0 being forced in large part to the rear. Also, it is to be noted that every loop in the fabric is double and that every double loop loops a double loop, while in effect there are three weft loops or runs for each loop, as 5, S, 1 for double loop 4, I0. The ribs of the rear side of the fabric extend transversely of the herringbone'appearance of the front side.

Fig. 3 illustrates the construction of a modified form of the invention wherein the warp threads I5 are shown in solid double lines and extend independently in chains throughout the length of the fabric. In contradistinction to the usual chain knit, however, each warp thread has longitudinally substantially aligned alternate long and short straight runs I6, l1, respectively, which loop over the respective relatively small and alternately large loops I8, I9. A straight transverse weft thread 2U may lay in under the long straight runs I6 and over the loop sides 2I of large loops I9 and effectively prevents any transverse stretching of the fabric.

A second transverse weft thread 22 is looped by each large loop I 9 in successive chain courses and in turn loops the top bend of each succeeding long straight run I6 as well as the short straight run I'I. When this fabric is knit, the loops I8, I9 are of course made tighter than shown, so that a non-ravel knot is made about runs I1 and loop I9 binds weft thread 22 so that its transverse straight runs 23` are forced to lay along portions of weft 20, and the effect is that warps I5 appear continuous and straight down the face or front side of the fabric with spaced warp loops 24 thereunder, Loops I8 are effectively hidden by the down loops 25 of weft 22. This construction provides an open mesh fabric which is non-stretchable and non-raveling. No matter how tightly the fabric is knit, comparatively large interstices between weft thread loops 25 remain, the top runs 23 of this thread being greatly longer `than its bottom loop, depending on the spacing of the warp threads and by introduction of weft and transverse yarns in any series of loops.

Fig. 4 illustrates a fabric of woven appearance based on the fabric of Fig. 1, and which has comparatively large transverse woolen or other yarns 28 passed thru loops 5 and 1 Vto lay in on the remainder of the fabric of Fig. 1, concealing the samel A pleasing zig-zag effect is thereby produced on the face of this fabric, but if desired this can be minimized or increased by introducing any desired number of loops in a series and in either direction. Of course, this same appearance could be produced by omitting wefts 2 and 3, but the resultant fabric would be looser-and of less thickness.

Fig. 5 shows a fabric having a woven appearance on its face and based on the knit fabric of Fig. 3. A woolen or the like yarn 21 is looped by the straight runs I6, I1 giving the impression that yarns 21 are merely woven under and over thereby. It will be appreciated, however, that this fabric will be extremely tightly knit and will be very thick, having the equivalent of a woven fabric on the face and an integral knit fabric on the reverse side.

The constructions above described are capable of further modifications without departing from the scope of the invention, which Will be seen to present a strong heavy fabric useful in many relations where woven fabrics are conventionally utilized. In all cases, the fabrics are clearly knit when observed from the rear or reverse side, but from the face side of the fabric the appearance is that of a woven material, except perhaps for that of Fig. 3. In any case, a Very heavy non-stretching and non-raveling knit fabric is provided which can be used in articles normally made of woven goods.

One variation successfully made is illustrated in Fig. 6, wherein woolen or the like transverse threads 28 are extremely tightly knit in by zig-zag loops 5 and 1, which lay along lines at 29. When so tightly knit, loops 5 and 'I draw each other into a straight warp line and in so doing they cause the larger transverse threads 29 to bow out transversely thereof to form the corduroy appearing fabric of this figure. Of course, this fabric is very tight and deep but it still has the pliancy of a knit fabric.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to :be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. A knit fabric comprising warp threads knit together to form a fabric in alternate right and left hand loops, the runs of thread between successive loops in the same warp thread being on a diagonal, and transverse filler yarns lying across the fabric and under said diagonal runs only on the face of the fabric, and transverse weft threads knit into the fabric in loops coinciding with said warp thread loops, said warp and weft threads lying completely to one side of the filler yarns except at the diagonal runs of the warp threads.

2. A knit fabric according to claim 1 wherein alternate diagonal runs extend substantially in different directions, producing a Zig-zag eiect on the face of the fabric.

3. A knit fabric comprising a plurality of continuous warp threads, each warp being formed with a series of alternate right and left loops connected with the left and right loops of the next adjacent warps, a plurality of weft threads interknit with said warp threads and having loops following the Warp thread loops, and a plurality of straight ller yarns insaid fabric, said yarns underlying only the portions of the warp threads between the warp loops.

4. A knit fabric as recited in claim 3 wherein the warp thread portions between warp loops are positioned diagonally across the ller yarns.

5. A knit fabric as recited in claim 3 wherein the warp thread portions between warp loops are substantially straight and lie at reverse angles alternately in the same warp to produce a zig-zag eiect at one side of the yarns.

6. A knit fabric comprising a plurality of warp threads each Warp thread being periodically reversely crossed over itself to form a series of `a1 ternate right and left hand loops, and each right loop being looped by a left loop on the next successive warp, a plurality of transverse weft threads extending completely across the fabric and being knit therewith in loops, said weft thread loops lying along certain loops of said warp threads in successive warp threads across the fabric, and each weft loop looping a complete Warp loop adjacent the points of crossing of the warp threads, straight transverse ller yarns lying under only warp thread runs between each right and left hand Warp loop.

FRANK J. FORD. 

